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Question asked by David Vernon on Mar 7, 2008
Latest reply on Apr 3, 2008 by Steve Partesi

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My folders no longer show an icon in each file to show the component inside. I just get the inverted yellow T block shape regardless of whether I choose to view as a filmstrip, tiles, thumbnails, etc. After several reboots, updating the graphics driver and ticking and un-ticking the tools-options-show thumbnail graphics in windows explorer box I am still mystified. My colleagues are not having this problem. It used to work on my machine. Any ideas?

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Kenneth Barrentine Mar 7, 2008 3:41 PM
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not sure if this will work but try, windows display properties>appearance>effects>use large icons.
you can reset back to normal icons once you have applied.

this used to work with some acad installations when autodesk changed the icon color from red to blue.
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Daniel Eelman Mar 7, 2008 3:45 PM
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I can't make any sense of the icons either. I get a mix, as shown below. These are all files created and saved in the same version of SW, many of them on or around the same date. The image also shows another annoying issue with the ones that do show the part. Sometimes I get a nice white background, sometimes is shows the SW background colors. I would like them to always be white.

Wish I could be more helpful than just jumping on your bandwagon, David.
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- Thumbnail Icons.JPG18.9 KB
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- Jim Wilkinson @ Daniel Eelman on Mar 7, 2008 4:17 PM
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  Hi Dan,
  
  If you open and save each of the files, does it then show the thumbnail properly (assuming you have the thumbnail option turned on in Options when you do the save)?
  
  The ones with the white background look like they were saved in SolidWorks 2008 where we always make the background white and the thumbnail has been changed to a higher resolution. The one with a blue background looks like it was saved in a version prioir to SolidWorks 2008 where we used a background color from the viewport and lower resolution. The others look like they may have been saved at a time when the option was off or not working.
  
  Note that Microsoft caches these thumbnail images in Windows Explorer so I think sometimes it won't change from the yellow icon to a thumbnail even if you do a save. As a test, you can do a Save As and save it as a new filename just to check to make sure the thumbnails are working properly on new files. Unfortunately, I don't know how to clean the Windows cache to update from the icon to the thumbnail if it has cached it that way for existing files.
  
  Thanks,
  Jim
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  - Daniel Eelman @ Jim Wilkinson on Mar 7, 2008 4:42 PM
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    Jim,
    
    I haven't installed 2008 yet, so I don't know why some have the white background (actually, it seems the white background icons have a slight majority over the generic block image, with the blue backgrounders coming in third).
    
    If I open and save either the white or block image files, the pickup the current SW background. I wish I knew how so many of them got white in the first place. It is much better than the darker background. (and no, I never had my SW background set to white)
    
    I have to put in a plug for David, and ask if you have any thoughts on his original issue, since I feel I have inadvertently hijacked his thread.
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    - Daniel Eelman @ Daniel Eelman on Mar 7, 2008 4:51 PM
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      I just did a little more experimentation, and found and interesting workaround. I can set my background color to white, and use an image file (like sky.png), and my SW screen shows the image, but the thumbnail takes on the actual color settting - in this case white.
      
      I also found that opening and saving one that already has a white background does appear to drop the resolution. I then recalled that I did have 2008 briefly installed along with 2007, but never opened any of these files with 2008. I realized I was too busy to figure out 2008 right now and took it off. So somehow that must have influenced the icons while it was installed. Very strange all of this.
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  - Kenneth Barrentine @ Jim Wilkinson on Mar 7, 2008 5:38 PM
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    Jim Wilkinson wrote:
    
    Note that Microsoft caches these thumbnail images in Windows Explorer so I think sometimes it won't change from the yellow icon to a thumbnail even if you do a save. As a test, you can do a Save As and save it as a new filename just to check to make sure the thumbnails are working properly on new files. Unfortunately, I don't know how to clean the Windows cache to update from the icon to the thumbnail if it has cached it that way for existing files.
    Thanks,
    Jim
    
    thanks, the term "clearing Windows cache" would best describe my previous post.
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    - Daniel Eelman @ Kenneth Barrentine on Mar 7, 2008 6:24 PM
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      Kenneth,
      
      In case you were curious if your method works, I tried it, and in my case it made no difference. I guess the issue is a little petty in the grand scheme of things, but sometimes it is the little things that seem most annoying.
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  - Matt Lombard @ Jim Wilkinson on Mar 7, 2008 6:24 PM
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    Jim,
    
    I have two of 3 machines where I get a generic windows document icon, regardless of the SW settings, regardless of the Windows settings, and regardless of how many times I tell Windows explicitly to use certain icons for certain extensions. This is in XP and seemed to start with SW2007.
    
    On my Vista machine, all I remember is that the display scheme is different again for thumbnails, and there are fewer options, none of which seem to work, so I don't have any idea what I should be expecting, other than for things to change every time I install a new SW version.
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    - Eddie Cyganik @ Matt Lombard on Mar 7, 2008 8:00 PM
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      Hi Matt,
      
      I think you said it all with:
      
      "...so I don't have any idea what I should be expecting, other than for things to change every time I install a new SW version."
      
      If you know this to be true, then you're not suprised by anything!
      
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  - 1-71SUYO @ Jim Wilkinson on Mar 10, 2008 11:37 AM
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    Jim Wilkinson wrote:
    
    Unfortunately, I don't know how to clean the Windows cache to update from the icon to the thumbnail if it has cached it that way for existing files.
    
    Hi all
    
    for clearing the windows cache: in the windows explorer go to TOOLS\FOLDER OPTIONS click on the second tab VIEW in the list Uncheck HIDE PROTECTED OPERATING SYSTEM FILES (RECOMMANDED), you'll have a message box Are you sure blah,blah.... Yes you're sure. Close this, now in your folder you'll find a thumbs.db file: this is the cache. Delete it, close windows explorer, open it again browse to your folder, normally that's ok. Return now in the TOOLS\FOLDER OPTIONS and recheck the HIDE PROTECTED OPERATING SYSTEM FILES (RECOMMANDED) item.
    
    I've done this many, many times and never had any problem.
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David Vernon Mar 10, 2008 6:37 AM
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Thanks for your replies.I shall keep looking into this as the thumbnails were very useful when trying to find a part quickly.
I tried to upload an image with this post but it didn't work, I tried a JPEG and a Bitmap, am I in the wrong format? Dave.
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Charles Culp Mar 10, 2008 11:34 AM
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you can upload .jpg files (but not .jpeg), or .png or .gif. You can also upload .zip files.
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David Vernon Mar 10, 2008 2:21 PM
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ok, I just looked into this and the box was already unchecked. I checked and unchecked it again but still no thumbnails?
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David Vernon Mar 10, 2008 2:28 PM
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I think JPEG and jpg are the same thing Charles, am I missing something?
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- Eddie Cyganik @ David Vernon on Mar 25, 2008 2:39 PM
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  David,
  
  Depending on the package used to create images, some use a 4 letter extension (JPEG), while other use 3 (jpg).
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David Vernon Mar 10, 2008 2:44 PM
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It looks like the image has to be below 100kb to upload.
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David Vernon Mar 25, 2008 1:42 PM
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Just re-installed Solidworks and the problem no longer occurs.
Maybe my problem with parts going transparent will stop now as well.
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Steve Partesi Apr 3, 2008 5:37 PM
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I am still having this problem. Windows XP solidworks2007 SP5. I tried re-installing several times and no help. Any other suggestions?

Edit: I found a fix here Thumbnail fix
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